C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001719

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS; NSC FOR E. MILLARD;
LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09-16-12
TAGS: PGOV PTER PINS CE TH NO LTTE
SUBJECT: Sri Lankan government-Tamil Tiger talks
kickoff in Thailand on conciliatory note

Refs: (A) Colombo-Sa/INS 09-16-02 unclass e-mails
- (B) Ops Center/Colombo 09-16-02 telecon
- (C) FBIS Reston Va DTG 160520Z Sep 02
- (D) Colombo 1693, and previous

(U) Classified by W. Lewis Amselem, Charge d'Affaires.
Reasons 1.5 (b, d).


1. (C) Summary: The opening ceremony kicking off talks
between the GSL and the Tamil Tigers on September 16 was
constructive, with both sides making conciliatory
remarks. The talks, which are being held at a naval
base in Thailand, are now in closed-door session until a
closing ceremony and press conference on the afternoon
of September 18. Mission continues to hear that this
initial round of talks will be more of a get-to-know-you
opportunity than substantive in content. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Mission watched the opening ceremony kicking
off talks between the Sri Lankan government and
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) beamed live from
Thailand on local TV on September 16. In a positive
note, the opening speeches by GSL and LTTE
representatives were conciliatory. Norwegian and Thai
government representatives also gave brief speeches.
After the opening ceremony, the two sides entered into
closed-door face-to-face talks with only Norwegian
government officials present as facilitators. The
closed-door talks are scheduled to continue until
September 18 when a closing ceremony and press
conference will be held.


3. (U) Per Ref A, Mission has e-mailed SA/INS the texts
of speeches given at the opening ceremony. Some of the
highlights of these speeches included the following
snippets:

-- G.L. Peiris, a senior GSL minister involved in peace
process issues, stated, in part: "Our nation has
resolved, with a firmness of conviction that has served
us well at the most critical moments in our long and
eventful history, that a sea change is necessary, now
that the tempests have abated. Nothing is as evident in
all substantial shades of public

opinion in our country
today as the unquenchable thirst for peace, dignity, and
opportunity for all our people...Despite the color and
drama of this event, however, it behooves us to remember
that the unfolding panorama of history represents a
continuum. President Kumaratunga, soon after her
election for the first time eight years ago, committed
her government to the goal of peace...We stand
unwaveringly for the amplest degree of devolution and
for the establishment and strengthening of institutions
designed to achieve this purpose. But these reforms
must necessarily be effected within the framework of a
state whose unity and territorial integrity is ensured
in fact and in law by the envisioned structures."

-- Anton Balasingham, the LTTE spokesman, stated, in
part: "We (the LTTE) are optimistic that the peace
talks will succeed because both Mr. Velupillai
Prabhakaran, the LTTE leader, and Mr. Ranil
Wickremesinghe, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, have a
genuine and firm will and a firm determination to
resolve the conflict through the process of dialogue.
As far as the LTTE is concerned, I can assure you that
we are seriously and sincerely committed to peace and
that we will strive our utmost to ensure the success of
the negotiations...Though the leadership of the LTTE
had, on several occasions, opted for cessation of
hostilities and peace talks, the previous government
rejected our conciliatory gestures and intensified the
conditions of war that caused heavy loss of life and
monumental destruction of Tamil property...The situation
has radically changed with the assumption to power of a
new government with the overwhelming popular mandate for
peace and negotiated political settlement."

-- Vidar Helgesen, Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister,
stated, in part: "The government of Norway feels
privileged to have the opportunity of facilitating these
negotiations, thereby assisting the parties in their
quest for peace. We feel privileged to witness at close
range the leadership the parties provide. Trying to
bring a long and bitter war to an end through peaceful
means, they are sending a powerful message to us. At a
time when the world is facing a magnitude of armed
conflicts and violent threats, and at a time when the
use of armed force is too often predicated as a primary
means to address such threats, the parties in Sri Lanka
are setting an example for the world."


4. (C) Comment: It may be a sign of the success of the
peace process thus far, but most Sri Lankans seem more
fixated by the results of a large international cricket
tournament taking place in Colombo than what is
transpiring in Thailand. In any case, sources in
Colombo have told us that both the GSL and the LTTE are
satisfied with how the opening ceremony went. There is
still no word about the results of this afternoon's
closed-door session. Mission continues to hear that
this initial round of talks will be more of a get-to-
know-you opportunity focusing on assistance-related
issues than substantive as to the means to attain a
negotiated settlement. End Comment.


5. (U) Minimize considered.

AMSELEM